Who Am I: A Journey For Strength
by ChangELing87
Summary: Discontinued.
1. Chapter 01

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in Naruto.

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Chapter 01: No Need to Fear  
  
And so Naruto was born into the world, a large red chakra sealed within his stomach. It would be a curse to him but his strength as well. From that day on he was "Naruto...the demon child". His mother died when he was born and his father, the Fourth Hokage, died sealing the Nine Tails Demon. Naruto never knew his parents nor did he know his father was the Hokage of the Hidden Leaf Village. He was told that he was an orphan...and that is where our story begins...  
  
He was born to be alone, and for a good number of years, he had traveled far from the Hidden Leaf Village in search of his parents. He was Naruto. He never stayed in one village long, learning the techniques and jutsu of each village. Outwardly he seemed like any normal boy, but he was a genius. During his academy days he was never the top student and failed in all his classes. All of that was a simply a ruse to hide his true power. At twelve, he left the village by night and began his journey of self-determination, to figure his destiny and to travel the path of nature to find his true calling.  
  
Now, almost 7 years later, the travels of a blond haired man nears his home village of the Hidden Leaf. He pulled his cloak closer over his well shaped face and shivered under his breath. The very smell of the forest brought nostalgic memories from his childhood. He remembered the stares and the taunts of his classmates, learning the existence of the demon within him. He understood their hatred toward him, and in return he accepted them. He was not angry, for he loved his village and his mentor...the Third. He recalled Iruka and their midnight ramen fests, his lonely treks in the nearby forest, and his secret spot on the cliff above the carvings of the village Hokages. Those were lonely days but he was used to it and wanted no more than to live in his village again. As he approached the towering gates his steps slowed to a halt. He was afraid of how different his village would be and the people who grew up with him. He mentally reminded himself to stay as unnoticeable as possible. With no further debate, he stuck one foot gently through the gate and crossed back into the past.  
  
The roaring din of the marketplace reminded him of his childhood. Farmers and shopowners yelled out prices and bartered goods. Villagers strolled through the dusty streets laughing, talking, and staring wondrously at the different sights throughout the city. In many ways it was different, but in another way it was the same. It was the Village of the Hidden Leaf...his home. Naruto pulled his hood even farther over his handsome face, no longer marked by the whiskers of the nine tails. He was the spitting image of the Fourth but he didn't know that. A smile spread across his face as he spotted the same old Ramen stand at the side of the road. He ate like he had never eaten before and even surprised the Noodle cook.  
  
"You sure are a hungry traveler young one," smiled the gentle cook warmly.  
"Mmmm...I haven't had such good ramen in many years. Thank you for the meal Mister."  
"Excuse me are you a stranger in this city...I don't think I have seen you before?"  
"Yup I'm a stranger here but I'm planning to stay for awhile. By the way sir but could you tell me why there are so few shinobi around this village?"  
"Ahh that is indeed sad. The borders of our country have become filthy with shinobi from the Hidden Rose Village. War is inevitable and most of the jounin and chuunins are out patrolling or skirmishing."  
"Have many died," asked Naruto sadly.  
"Not yet...but the Hidden Rose Village is not one to reckon with easily. Over the years their strength has tripled and even our best jounins are having trouble."  
"I see...well goodnite mister. I'll be back some other time."  
"No problem."  
  
That night Naruto slept at a nearby hotel, pondering what the ramen shop owner had told him. A war had come upon the Hidden Leaf and there was no way he could let more shinobi die. That night Naruto swore to himself that he would protect the village with his life but to try and keep his identity secret. He knew if they found him out they would throw him out and scorn his back forever. He hoped that by now most of the villagers had forgotten about him.  
  
The next morning, Naruto went out to visit the Third's grave. When he left the village the only man who had cared for him was the Third. Just this morning he had found a new Hokage and that the Third had passed on after a bloody battle with Oruchimaru. Suddenly, four Hidden Rose shinobi landed on the field near the Hokage's grave. They stared intently at him and began to approach. By watching their movements he was sure they were jounins. Without further thought, Naruto pulled a ANBU mask over his face and bent down into a defenseive crouch. He felt the blood running into his body and the excitement build up in his abdomen. He suppressed a tingling sensation and held the Nine Tails Chakra at bay. There was no urgency in his fluid movements. As he struck the first rushing jounin he neatly threw him away like a rag and bashed the face in. His movements were untraceable and too fast for the enemy. Little did he know a pink haired young woman was hiding in the foliage, watching the battle of the stranger unfold.  
  
With a deep calmness, Naruto fought, not with his true strength, but simple taijutsu. He did a wide sweep in the air and knocked two of the enemies unconcious. For the third he did a uppercut with his foot and launched the shinobi into the air. While still in mid air he flipped ontop and bashed the Rose shinobi into the ground. The pink haired girl swallowed in fear as she watched the new comer fight off the Hidden Rose jounins with simple taijutsu. She hoped that he was on their side otherwise they were doomed. The only shinobi of the Hidden Leaf who could possibly match him could be Neji or Sauske. As Naruto fought with the fourth ninja, his hood slipped off revealing his spiked blond hair. The pink haired girl's eyes widened as she fell in love with the beautiful blond hair. The shape of his body and head were absolutely perfect. She wished he wasn't wearing an ANBU-like mask so she could see his face. She was so entranced by his glowing form that she failed to notice a fifth Rose shinobi sneak up behind her and put a kunai to her throat. He grabbed her roughly and jumped in front of Naruto and the remaining Rose shinobi.  
  
"If you don't step down I'll kill this bitch," yelled the Rose ninja with the kunai. Naruto paused mid stroke and stood back a few feet. Under his mask he breathed deeply. It was Sakura. She was a beauty...but he couldnt think of that now. With a flick of his wrist he disappeared. A second later he reappeared behind Sakura's captor, leaving the fourth Rose shinobi motionless on the ground. Before the enemy could slit the woman's throat, he had kicked the kunai from his hands and had slammed the Rose ninja into the ground with his elbow. With another kick into the stomach, Naruto and Sakura were finally safe.  
"Wh..ho are you? I've never seen you before," asked Sakura timidly. She stepped back into a defensive stance. "Why did you save me?"  
"I love this village..." whispered Naruto. A moment later he was gone.  
  
Sakura walked slowly back to the village. Somehow her heart was pounding but she wasn't sure what it was. He seemed...so strong and she felt safe in his presence. He had saved her life and yet he left without asking for anything in return. What a weird man...no he sounded younger...maybe about the same age as Sauske. With a faint smile on her lips she re-watched the blond haired man in her head . 


	2. Chapter 02

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or anything related to him.Thanks For the Reviews. I've never been great at writing but because I love Naruto soo much I felt that I needed to write a different more mature version. Sorry if I ruin the story for anyone. I hope you will love my story.

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Chapter 02: My True Face

Naruto shuddered as he replayed Sakura's face again in his mind. It was pleasing yet frightening at the same time. He pulled off his mask and stared himself in the mirror. It had been 19 years since the Fourth had sealed the demon and he really didn't want to wear hide for the rest of his life. He only hoped that no one would remember the little blond child from the academy. The reflection staring back at him was that of a handsome young man, not of a young boy. It would be enough. Taking he a deep sigh he lay down and drifted quickly into a troubling dream.

Sakura opened the door to her apartment and stumbled in. The blond haired man had left her breathless, even without the face. A part of her brain told her she knew him, but she couldn't be sure. It seemed so close yet she couldn't remember what it was that she was reminded of. Quickly she shook her head and went to shower before she went off to speak to the Hokage about the Rose shinobi at the cemetery.

Meanwhile outside of the village walls...Sasuke and TenTen battle a large group of Rose-nins.

"How did they find us?" yelled TenTen.

"Pftttt...go for it Ten Ten," smiled Sasuke. Without further delay TenTen ran up to Sasuke and leaped off his back with an added burst of speed. Twirling two long scrolls and twisting in a vortex of wind suddenly a thousand kunais, swords, and sharp metal debris impale a good number of the assailants. Before she landed back onto the ground Sasuke had already secured the remaining six Rose-nin in his web of chakra sensitive wires and had fried them alive with his flaming breath. TenTen ran up panting.

"That was nice Sasuke!"

Sasuke grinned and grabbed her wrists. "Let's go back to the village and see if the others are ok."

TenTen whispered uncertainly, "I don't believe that the Rose shinobi are so weak. They must be hiding their true jounins and chuunins for when we declare war on them." Sasuke frowned. It was true but there was little they could do about it but continue fighting. Even he was afraid of the Rose jounins. There was only Neji and him who could match evenly with even the Rose jounins. He laughed mockingly to himself. Inside he really wanted to fight stronger shinobi. "Wait for me Itachi," he thought to himself, "I'll find you for sure." TenTen stared oddly at Sasuke. "Are you ok?"

Sasuke looked up and replied, "Yah I'm find." He smiled and pulled her closer to his chest as the sailed through the trees back to the village.

It was daylight when they returned and were met by the other Leaf-nins. Lee raced forward and hugged the two with tears in his eyes.

"Lee what's wrong," whispered TenTen.

"They got Kiba's team. He's barely breathing when we found him."

"What about Ino and Hinata?" demanded Sasuke.

"We could only find Kiba," muttered Lee sadly.

"WHAT???!!!" Sasuke ran toward the hospital. He stormed through the doors of the operating room and found Sakura hard at work. The medical specialist jounin looked up with a worried face.

"Is he going to make it!" screamed Sasuke.

"CALM down Uchiha!!! Your being way too loud," yelled Sakura. Her face had become red with anger. He could be so difficult when it came to hurt Leaf shinobi. He was a good man although he was often secluded and moody. She was glad for TenTen. A jolt of jealousy tugged at her heart as she wished that she had a man she could love. Her hands moved skillfully over Kiba as she mended his cuts and healed his bleeding cells. "He will live but it will be awhile before he can fight again," continued Sakura with a stern tone. Sasuke sighed with relief and left to find Hokage-Sama.

"Tsunade you have to let me go!! I'll go by myself if you won't let me bring a team along!"

"No! It's too dangerous Sasuke. The Rose-nins will be waiting for you in an ambush. We don't have enough jounins of your caliber to let you go into certain death," answered the Hokage sternly. She paced back and forth in her office.

"I'll take Kakashi with me and Shikamaru. We are all quiet enough to slip in and bring back Hinata and Ino. We..."

"That's enough! I said no and it will stay that way."

"But..."

"We have to be patient. I can't risk any more lives to resc..."

"Excuse me," a dark hooded shinobi stepped into the room and interrupted the arguing pair, "are you Hokage-sama?"

"Yes but who the hell are you?" Tsunade eyed the imposing young man at her door and narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

Naruto thought quickly and chose a name, "My name is Itai. I heard that someone here is hoping to lead a team out to rescue fellow shinobi. I wanted to help." Naruto's heart beat faster as he pulled his hood up and revealed his blond hair and fair face. Tsunade almost collapsed with shock. First a stranger in a hood had walked into her office unannounced by a guard and second he was so handsome that she, an old geezer using chakra to keep her image young, was completely awed. Sasuke stared curiously at the newcomer. He looked familiar but he couldn't place him in his mind. "I'm Sasuke." Naruto tried not to show his surprise. Sasuke seemed...so cool and laid back. "If it wouldn't be too much to ask I would like to follow you in the rescue."

"How can the Leaf Village trust you...you could be a spy for the Rose-nins. Who are you and where are you from?" questioned Sasuke suspiciously.

"Right," muttered Tsunade under her breath, trying hard to stare at Naruto. She seemed convinced already by his beauty but she knew Sasuke was right. If what Sasuke had told her was true then Hinata and Ino were in trouble and if they didn't send out a team they could as well be dead already. The risks were high but she decided to let the stranger prove himself.

"I've fought before," explained Naruto,"I promise I won't slow you guys down. I just want to help. I love this village."

Somehow the words froze Sasuke. He was touched by his innocence and integrity that he believed Naruto. It seemed that he was just a normal shinobi but somehow he felt strength flowing like a torrent out of Naruto. He felt trust wash over him and he looked expectantly back at Hokage-sama.

"Ok fine," admitted Tsunade, "Take Sakura, TenTen, and Neji with you." She stared at Naruto closely, "And you, Itai follow close. I am putting my trust into you. Please don't fail the Leaf."

"I won't fail." Such confidence and trust radiated from Naruto the he almost seemed to glow. It gave Tsunade something that she had not felt in a long time within the village, Hope.


	3. Chapter 03

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or anything related to him.

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I must make an apology over my grammar and spelling. Now that I am on a different computer I will start using Microsoft Word so hopefully it'll be a little better. Corrections made.

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Chapter 03: Fight in the Forest

The four Leaf shinobi with Naruto in tow move quickly through the forest. Because Naruto did not wish to impede upon the mission, he kept quiet in the back. The other four discussed how the mission would be accomplished. Their main assumption was that Hinata and Ino and their captors had not yet reached the Hidden Rose Village and were still en-route, therefore making the situation much more manageable. Neji would take care of the actual fighting and also as the decoy while TenTen would cover him with her scrolls from the air. Sasuke and Sakura would come from the rear to rescue their friends. Not truly knowing Naruto, they planned to use him as a back up behind Neji. Naruto didn't mind. He was timid by nature and was uncomfortable showing off even when no one was watching.

At first when Naruto and Sasuke had went to gather the members of their team, the most surprised person was Sakura. She did not expect to see the blond haired man again and her heart almost stopped. His face was more beautiful than any she had ever seen and was completely mesmerized. It took a shaking from Sasuke to nudge her out of her daze.

"Gomen..." Sakura bowed her head. An amused Naruto observed her curiously which caused her to blush even more. He was surprised to find that she was even fairer then ever. He remembered at the academy how he had always watched her from behind bushes, and was never caught spying on her. Her long, straight pink hair fluttered in the breeze as she looked back up.

"What is your name?" she asked shyly.

"Itai."

Sakura hoped that he would say more but when he didn't Sasuke called out, "C'mon you two lets go find Neji and TenTen."

Suddenly it began to rain. Thunder cracked far in the distance and the pouring increased its intensity. The five shinobi landed back onto the ground and took in their surroundings. Fresh footprints covered the trail but were quickly disappearing from the fury of the storm.

"Hurry!" shouted Neji, "at this rate we will lose them." With a renewed strength they pushed off and doubled their speed. They were close. Suddenly a two kunais flew directly at Sasuke, who with the help of the sharingan, was able to dodge the attack. At the center of the clearing stood almost two dozen Rose-nin. From the look of their scars and evil grins, they were experienced chuunins who had just successfully laid their ambush. Sasuke and Sakura immediately disappeared into the opposite direction while Neji took up his fighting stance. Using a tree TenTen launched herself into the sky and unraveled her arsenal. Naruto landed calmly into the clearing beside Neji and slipped on his ANBU-like mask.

"Itai! You'll have to move into the trees," ordered Neji, "my jutsu is destructive but you might get caught in my technique." Nodding in acknowledgement he leaped into the air and seemed to push off the air into the cover of the trees. The Rose-nins surrounded Neji and rushed. This was Hyuga's skill, to face many opponents at once with his impenetrable defense. Spreading his arms he gathered Chakra in his chest and released it throughout his entire body. He began to spin and within moments the chuunins who had rushed him first were littered around dead and lifeless. Both TenTen and Neji's skills easily complemented each other and it seemed to be going well until suddenly a Rose jounin appeared. The enemy shinobi sped forward with lightning speed and appeared later with his back facing Neji from behind. The attack had went so fast that Neji had no time to react. All of a sudden two spurts of blood began to spray outward from his two shoulders. Neji only had enough strength to turn his head before he feel back into a pool of his own blood.

"Shit! Neji!" TenTen unleashed a massive wave of a thousand swords. It was hopeless. With the leadership of the Rose jounin the Rose-nins easily trapped her and knocked her out onto the ground. She tried to push herself back up but coughed up a clot of blood and then collapsed. The Rose Village was surely superior in strength and numbers. Naruto was horrified. The jounin had appeared so quickly that he couldn't do anything but watch as Neji was struck down. It was time. Hoping that Neji was still alive and that Sasuke and Sakura would return soon, he dropped down from the ceiling of the forest into the very center of the clearing. He slowly rose up to a standing position and his eyes focused.

"Brave I give you...whoever you might be," mocked the Rose jounin, "but you cannot defeat us." "We are too many and you," he laughed, "too few." The Rose-nin nodded to the side and four chuunins landed near Neji and dumped the unconscious forms of Sasuke and Sakura into a heap. Naruto cursed in his mind but kept a calm face.

"Tonight shall be your last." Crouching downward, Naruto sprang forward. Insanely outnumbered, Naruto kept par with ten chuunins at a time. Closing his eyes, he replicated himself four times and sped up the pace, again with Taijutsu only. It was amazing to watch. His ceaseless motion and his fluid punches and kicks were strategically placed to help him build momentum. Then, taking advantage of a pause in the battle, Naruto used his four clones launch him into the air as he powered up his rasengen. As he fell back to earth his clones disappeared and he hit the ground with the spherical ball of chakra in his hand. The explosion knocked out the chunnins and blasted them into the air and slamming them into trees and boulders.

"Interesting..." sneered the jounin, "so there is one worthy to fight me in the Hidden Leaf." Before Naruto could blink the Rose-nin disappeared and reappeared directly behind him as he did with Neji, his arms outstretched and one kunai in each. However, no blood sprayed out of Naruto's shoulders. Instead, Naruto was holding a kunai in each arm as well, both dripping with blood. Suddenly the Rose jounin screamed as two jets of blood exploded outward from both sides of his chest. It was done.

Naruto ran toward his comrades and checked to see that they were still alive, and then hurried off to find Hinata and Ino. The two were strewn across the ground bruised and beaten but alive. "Thank you Third for watching over them," whispered Naruto to himself, "thank you."


	4. Chapter 04

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or anything related to the anime series.

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Again Thanks for the reviews. Sometimes I'm not thinking while I write and so thanks to all of you who've helped me fix my errors. I'm sorry if Sakura seems really shallow buts I want to make one of those love at first sight things but the relationship will obviously change later on. Thanks again everyone!

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Chapter 04: Naruto Unleashed

Naruto sat alone on top a log as he poked the fire with a thick branch. His mind was worried and afraid for the Hidden-Leaf. True, Sasuke and Neji were both genius shinobi but their skill just couldn't match with those of the Hidden Rose. He stared blankly at the flickering flames as he pondered the fate of the village.

"Ummm..." Sakura propped herself up from the ground and looked up hesitantly, "what happened to the Rose-nin?" Naruto jerked his head up suddenly and then looked away when he saw Sakura's intent gaze upon him.

"They left," answered Naruto in a definitive tone. She looked around at the others gently napping on the ground curiously and then decided to think over what he said later. Something about his answer bothered her but she left it at that, wanting to know more about him. She gathered her courage and sat down on a log opposite to the blond haired man.

"So where are you from Itai?" she asked.

"Well...I'm from the Hidden Thunder Village," lied the blond haired man. Naruto had been there once for almost three months, learning the techniques by sight and then practicing them by night. It had been his ritual, traveling the Villages across the land and picking up new jutsus here and there. "I've been a wanderer almost my entire life so I can't really say I'm from any village," said Naruto, never meeting Sakura's eyes.

Sakura noticed Naruto's uneasiness and decided not to press him...yet. She didn't quite believe that the Hidden-Rose had just got up and left and she was determined to find out what really happened. It felt nice to sit around him. In his presence she felt protected and warm. She smiled nonchalantly to herself. Naruto looked up.

"What's so funny?" he demanded.

"Nothing...it's just that this is the first time in a long time since I've felt safe in this forest," whispered Sakura, her eyes studying Naruto's features. He looked away and said nothing. Her long pinkish hair swayed gently in the night and her eyes seemed as bright as the stars. Sakura was just about to continue when Sasuke awoke and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. As he tried to stand up his entire body ached and for the first time he noticed the bandages on his chest. Sakura leapt forward suddenly remembering her duty as a medical jounin. When she examined Sasuke closer she noticed that he had already been looked to.

"Itai," Sakura shot the blond man a surprised glance, "you are a medical specialist too?"

"No. But I do know the basics," he replied simply. Sakura stared at him. What was going on inside of him thought Sakura. The man was a genius. He had definitely healed Sasuke, no, all of them almost completely and had just put them into a healing sleep. She glanced quickly at Hinata, Neji, and TenTen, all with bandages on their wounds and deep in slumber. Itai was definitely an enigma. She was sure now that the Hidden Rose-nin had not merely left, but had been driven off or killed by the humble shinobi sitting on a log by the fireside. Without wasting a moment, she sprang up and ran off to the clearing. She had to know. Naruto, worried that she was running into danger, got up a followed her.

"Sasuke stay here a watch the others," he ordered. In a moment he and Sakura were gone. Sasuke on the other hand sat there confused, wondering where all of the Rose-nins had gone.

Sakura sped out of the forest to the clearing and her eyes widened as she counted the dead shinobi strewn about in front of her. An arm grabbed her shoulder and spun her around. The eyes of the blond man stared straight into her own and then looked to the side.

"You shouldn't run off like that Sakura," he muttered, "its still dangerous here."

She stood frozen, her heart beating, aware that Naruto's hand was on her shoulder. "I'm sorry," she stuttered and pulled back quickly. "I'm sorry," she whispered again, "let's go back." Naruto nodded and together they returned to the fire. Out of the corner of his eyes Naruto sensed an entity with killing intent in his chakra and almost immediately began concentrating on his Nine Tails. The shinobi he sensed was strong, stronger than the jounin they had met before. Finally, a challenge thought Naruto. He smiled.

As they reached the camp, Naruto doused the flames and pushed the others down to the ground.

"I'll be back soon," he said, and jumped into the trees. After a minute or two a voice echoed from all around him.

"So you are the one who killed Kito," snarled a Rose-nin, "he was a brother to me. You shall taste the power of a true jounin." With a flash the Rose shinobi had appeared behind him, already striking downwards with his kunai. It seemed to Naruto that he had dodged the strike, but as he slid away tiny cuts appeared across his back. Then he saw it-connected to the enemies kunai was a belt of thorns shaped from chakra. Swiveling around Naruto crouched down and prepared to counter-attack.

From the foliage to the side, Sakura and the others had managed to crawl from the fire to watch the battle unfold. From the blond haired man's feet a red chakra began to appear and then in an instant, Naruto leapt forward, replicated himself once, and spun almost in mid leap, using the red chakra in his palms and his clone in front of him. He surprised the Rose-nin and as he was about to make contact with the Rose-nins face, he disappeared with amazing speed and kicked the enemy up from below. Sakura watched in respect while the others were amazed at the blond man's agility, speed, and close combat techniques.

Wasting no time Naruto leaped up after his prey. Still flying through the air, the Rose-nin blew out a cloud of poisonous fumes only to find his efforts impeded by a blue sphere of chakra surrounding Naruto. The blond man engaged the Rose shinobi in mid air with a series of well placed hits, all aimed at the vital organs. Neji was surprised to see that Naruto knew the Hyugga technique of puncturing the opponents chakra flow. As the Rose juonin staggered up from the ground Naruto blurred in a circle around him and hit sixty four vital points in succession. Using his opponents inability to move for a few seconds, Naruto punctured the man's chest with two kunais and then gave him one last roundhouse in the head. It was over. The blond man walked back toward the fire without even breathing heavily.


	5. Chapter 05

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or anything related to that title.

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In response to a comment about Naruto and Neji, Naruto does not have the Hyugga bloodline and that includes the Byakugan and the Chakra openings throughout the body. Naruto merely has the knowledge of the different Chakra pipes running inside the body and has enough accuracy to hit them. Think of it that instead of a Chakra razor that Neji has in his fingers Naruto has his own method of shaping Chakra into a cutting tool.

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Chapter 05: A New Hope

The return journey to the village was uneventful and the seven Leaf shinobi were able to reach home safely. For most of the time, Naruto stayed at the rear and made sure the Rose-nins weren't tracking them. He had no idea that the others had seen him fight and he hoped they didn't suspect who he was. Hinata and Ino kept glancing back at Naruto, giving him curious and shy glances. A handsome stranger was unheard of these days especially since the hostilities with the Hidden Rose had begun to escalate. As they neared the front gates they noticed that a dark plume of smoke was rising from somewhere at the center of the village. Worried, Sasuke, Neji, and Naruto sped off to investigate while the others hurried off to the hospital.

Tsunade stood calmly at the center of the plaza surrounded by ten Hidden Sound shinobi. Suddenly they rushed her but she was already ready and waiting. Without a moments hesitation, she rushed forward to meet the assault. It was truly a battle worthy of a Hokage. The Sound-nins were in no way inferior but compared to Tsunade, they did not have the skill to lay even one blow. She countered relentlessly and gave her antagonists no time to catch a breather. She landed a quick kick into the ground and caused a gigantic shockwave from the ground into the air, creating an explosion throwing bricks and boulders into the ranks of the enemy.

"Hokage-sama!" yelled Sasuke, "what happened?"

"The Sound tried to assassinate the Village Council," she cried back, "I tried to reach the elders but there's to many of them. Don't worry about me go make sure that the council is safe." With that she flipped into the air and spat out a dark spray of mud into the eyes of Sound-nin, and then singly knocked each shinobi with hits to their heads. Then, using a one sided seal she created a bubbling marsh that swallowed up another group of Sound-nins rushing her from the back.

"Lets go," ordered Sasuke, his sharingan activating and Chakra could be seen accumulating in his arms.

Naruto sped forward in front of the others and pulled on his ANBU-like mask once again. There was no need for publicity he thought. He knew that the Sound nins attacking the council would be much more advanced then the decoy grunts. All around them Leaf shinobi gave it their all and brutally fought back against the Sound. Naruto could see it in his eyes that the Hidden Leaf had the determination to protect their village and that was strength in itself. A sudden flashback shot through his mind as he neared the center of the village. _I love this village Naruto...never...never let anyone destroy the Leaf. Protect it with your life._ Naruto smiled. Sarutobi was with him...he would prevail. The council members were huddled behind a group of outnumbered Leaf-nins determined to protect the elders with their lives. Eyes narrowing, Naruto burst into the fray.

The first Sound nin he came upon was instantly killed by a spine snapping thrust from Naruto's Chakra enhanced kick. A deep calm emanated from his entire body. His movements were perfectly executed and strategically planned out. There was no pause in the rhythm and the Leaf-nins looked in awe at the newcomer in the ANBU mask. Spinning in a half circle, he elbowed a Sound shinobi in the gut and then brought his fist up to smash the face. Pivoting again on his opposite foot he slammed the bottom of his glowing red feet and caused the lungs of his next opponent to explode outward. Couching down, Naruto prepared to engage once again. He pulled out a kunai with each hand and then stuck one between his teeth, blade facing straight outward. Grinning, Naruto rushed forward with unmatched speed and slashed back and forth with his kunais with untraceable accuracy. He stopped about 30 meters away from where he started and suddenly eight of the Sound shinobi had fallen to the ground, blood spurting from their necks and the sides of their thighs.

Sasuke, amazed once again at his masked ally, rushed into the fray, his sharingan wide open. Weaving and dodging through the crowd, he trapped a good number of the Sound nins together by wrapping his Chakra wires around their feet and binding together with a quick tug. Swallowing a mouthful of air and puffing out his chest, Sasuke let loose a flaming breath that traveled through the wire and into the unsuspecting Sound shinobi. Although the tide of battle was now turned...it was far from over.


	6. Chapter 06

Disclaimer: I do not own anything related with anything to do with Naruto.

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Thanks for the comments and reviews again. I'm really really really sorry I updated such a short chapter and that I haven't been able to update in awhile. School has been taking up a lot of my time and so I haven't had too much time. Sorry about that. Remember that this is the alternate story of Naruto so about those four Sound-nins that the genin fought in the original story are the same people in this story but only stronger.

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Chapter 06: Monster or Savior: Finding himself

A stray kunai hit the ground beside the Leaf council members as Naruto stared upward into the air. A dozen Sound-nins had leapt into the air and prepared to finish off the remaining Leaf-nins with their aerial attack. As hundreds of kunais rained upon the weakened Leaf, a sudden whirlwind of chakra deflected all but one of the sharp projectiles. Turning his body sharply, Neji prepared for the impact of the single kunai he missed from his blind spot. It never came. In a blur of motion, a blond-haired, masked shinobi leapt above Neji and grabbed the kunai with the glowing red chakra from his feet. Landing with his palm Naruto spun in a full circle and let the kunai soar straight toward the closest Sound-nin. Crouching back onto his feet, Naruto lowered himself into a crouch and prepared once again in a defensive stance.

Flashback

"Naruto! Get down here right now!! Iruka is searching for you!" A gray haired man yelled upwards at a young blond boy who was tirelessly practicing his kunai accuracy on a clump of ten some trees.

"Arghh not yet Sarutobi-sensei! I'm almost finished." Naruto thrust himself into the air once again and threw all his kunais before he hit the ground. The old man and the boy had always been close and the aging master brushed aside the familiar greeting. The Third's eyes widened as he watched each kunai hit their targets one after another in perfect procession and placement. Definitely the talent of a genius...if only the Fourth were still here. Naruto would have made him proud thought the Third. On his dying breath, the Fourth had spoken to the Third.

"Don't tell him who his father was," he choked as more blood spluttered out of his mouth, "I want him...to grow by his own strength, and to learn to control the demon I have cursed him with for the rest of his life." With his last breath he reached his arm up, clasped the Third by the shoulder, and then shuddered, dropping back to the ground with a soft thud.

Sarutobi stared kindly at his young pupil. He had grown so much in so little time that Naruto reminded him vaguely of Itachi. It had even slipped his mind once and he had muttered something about the similarity between the two when Naruto was listening. The Third finally made it to the top of the cliff overlooking the village. He stood beside a panting Naruto and led him to the cliff.

"Naruto," he began sternly.

"Yes Hokage-sama?"

"What do you see?"

"I see the village of the Hidden Leaf?"

"What does the village mean to you Naruto? The people know that you are different. They treat you differently."

"What are you trying to say sensei?" asked the blond boy questioningly.

"Do you hate them for it?"

"No...they have a right to hate me. I know from the stories. They fear me and hate me at the same time," answered Naruto regretfully, "but I do not hate them for it. I love this village as my family, and sometimes family can be difficult, but nothing can surpass my love for it." The Third looked closely into Naruto's eyes and read his heart. It was pure and determined...just like the father.

"Then you must protect it with your life," said the Hokage. Naruto looked up curiously and pondered the statement. The Third sensed the confusion and then proceeded to explain, "Naruto...you are strong as a shinobi, but you must learn that with strength comes responsibility." Naruto stared at his sensei and waited for him to continue. "If you love something then you must protect it no matter the consequences. If you fail in protecting the ones that you love then you have failed yourself more than you have failed your village. Remember that Naruto. I can sense that one day this village will falter, that hearts that were once beating as one will stutter and grind."

"Will there be war?" asked Naruto quietly, his eyes concentrated on the roofs of the village.

"Yes," responded the Third sadly, "but you will be there Naruto when the time comes. It is your destiny. I feel it Naruto. You will protect them even at the cost of your life and name. Never be afraid my boy. Come...let us go find Iruka together shall we?"

"Yeah." Naruto smiled and grabbed the arms of his sensei. The blond boy was only six...but he already understood the most important part of being a shinobi.

End Flashback

There were only four Sound-nin remaining as Sasuke and Neji systematically defeated the others. The Sound shinobi approached Naruto from all sides. There was a large one who reminded him of Choji, one who held a flute in its hand, one who had two sly looking heads, and one who had horrid arachnids perched upon his shoulders. Each of the four pulled a acroll from their belts and set them on the ground. They began a complex jutsu and in a flurry of colors and Chakra, a thin transparent wall constructed of flaming blue formed around the combatants.

"You are strong...Naruto," sneered the spider-shinobi, "Karuu thought highly of you, the trash that you were."

Realization swept through Sasuke. He had heard the old stories long ago, seven years to be exact, that a certain blond haired child had left the village to escape the persecution of his demon. He remembered it slightly, but it had seemed to be just a story. The adults had often spoken of this curse, the demon that took the lives of a hundred Leaf-nins in a single night, including the Fourth. A wave of pain hit Sasuke as he tried to remember. The blond haired man had saved his life and those of the other Leafs. Why? Why would he save the village that pointed fingers at him, that beat him, and stole love from him? Could it be that he was secretly planning revenges? No that couldn't be. Sasuke had seen it in the eyes. They were not those of a monster, but of a true shinobi. Naruto...who are you really thought Sasuke. He stared as the four Sounds walled the blond man into a prison, a fight to the death. Would he be able to take four shinobi at the same time who were all above the ANBU class? He doubted that even Tsunade could. Wait...how did these Sound-nins know his name even with his mask on? Could it be?

Inside the flaming prison, Naruto prepared for the worst. He couldn't keep fighting with only taijutsu. These shinobi were on a completely different level, but there simply was not enough room to fight without injuring the elders. He gathered Chakra in his arm and pounded the ground. A large hole blasted open from the ground and with his other arm, the blond man sent a rumbling shockwave into the whole.

"Quickly," he shouted, "go through the tunnel. The others will help you on the other side. I will face them alone." A radiance aura surrounded his body as he gathered the nine tails Chakra from his stomach. The elders scrambled into the hole and disappeared as Naruto created a slap of rock with a special jutsu. His body began to build up and the pressure of Chakra around him was so strong that the four Sound-nins were almost thrown back by the power. Sasuke watched in horror as the form of a nine-tailed monster hovered over Naruto. The four Sound shinobi muttered curses and then allowed their level 2 forms to consume their bodies.

"He won't last long against our seals," yelled the flute carrier, "show no mercy." He brought the instrument to his lips and began his tune. From the spider shinobi came out thousands of tiny poisonous spiders as he pulled a large bow from his back. The fat one placed his hands to the ground and began to create an earthquake beneath Naruto. The two headed Sound-nin jumped into the air and prepared to attack.

Naruto calmly pulled down his mask and tossed it onto the ground. The Nine tails shadow had disappeared. All that could be seen now were glowing red Chakra from his palms and his feet. His eyes were focused but the seemed elusive. He felt the Sound around him, followed their movements through his heightened senses. Standing up straight, he pulled out a kunai with one arm and put his other to his chest, completing quickly a one handed seal. Water bubbled out of the ground and a gigantic tsunami drowned the spiders trying to scuttle out of the way. And then he disappeared. The two headed shinobi landed where Naruto had been and yelled out in rage. Turning both heads upwards a sudden thrust from the water impaled the Sound-nin in the throat and sliced his artery. The others looked down where the kunai had broken the surface of the water but found nothing. All of a sudden and speeding shadow fell from above and engaged the flute player. Dodging the simple taijutsu, the flute player increased his tune and four humongous monsters pulled themselves out of the ground. The player smiled but suddenly his eyes widened and felt his both his lungs burst as his chest exploded outwards. He fell face forward into the water, a kunai stuck in the back of his head. The two remaining Sound-nins grimaced and searched for their attacker.

Impossible thought Sasuke, his speed has dramatically increased, even my sharingan can't keep up with the movement. Can it be? Naruto is an assassin? He looked around to see if Neji was watching but he had disappeared off to another section of the village to help the Leaf shinobi fight. He turned back to the battle in front of him. The four powerful Sound-nins were receiving a beating by one lone shinobi. Again a dark shadow sped towards the fat shinobi, but the Sound was waiting. Before Naruto could move out of the way completely a gigantic rock spear burst from the ground straight towards the blond man's chest. He spun seeming in midair and the tip only cut through the his side. Blood spurt from the wound but quickly stopped as the wound closed itself up. Sasuke's mouth dropped. Invincible in battle? Before Naruto's wound had healed, he had already slammed his foot into the back of the fat shinobi's head, causing it to explode forward in a rain of red. A normal kick would never have done that thought Sasuke. Such strength like Naruto's was disturbing, frightening even. The blood of his victim had not even settled when the spider-user was impaled by four kunais: one in each shoulder and one in each thigh. The Sound-nin dropped to his knees chest high in the reddening water.

"Finish me," screamed the Sound-nin, "kill me like you did the others you monster. Karuu will find you. She'll kill you along with this village. You'll die you traitor." He froze as both his arms exploded outward as the kunais erupted in a fiery explosion of red Chakra. A long howl hung in the air as another as he collapsed into the water, lifeless and dead. The Chakra field disappeared, the four corner scrolls sizzling up in a fiery oblivion.

"What am I," whispered Naruto. A tear rolled down his check as the Chakra in his arms and legs faded away. Memories of a harsh past flashed through his mind as he fell to his knees and stared listlessly at the ground. He saw Karuu, how he had been infatuated with her beauty and talent. Then he saw what she really was, her pleasure in watching living things die and her cruel techniques in killing off the innocent. For a time Naruto's lust for strength consumed him and he had joined with her, hoping to grow stronger by learning with Karuu, but then he had seen himself, blood dripping down his hands and face, blood of the innocent. From then on he promised himself to only fight for goodness, to be worthy of another's trust and to gain strength in his own way. He remembered the wisdom of the Third and swore to himself that he would return and protect the village with everything that he had, even his own life. Another tear fell as he saw his father, or what he thought his father had looked like. If only he was here. There was no one Naruto could turn to...and then he wept for the first time.


	7. Chapter 07

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Thanks everyone for your reviews. Much appreciated! )

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Chapter 07: Reminiscence

Shadows of a flickering candle danced upon the far wall. Naruto sat silent and still atop his bed, head bowed and arms placed on his lap. His mind was tired but the memories of Karuu and the words of the Sound nin reverberated again and again. The soothing patter of rain outside fell relentlessly upon the roof. And so it began, the war that would test Konoha till the last shinobi, man, woman, and child.

Flashback

"Father, where are you?" A defiant Naruto sped through a dense forest, tears streaming from his eyes. He was only thirteen, only a year after he had left the Hidden Leaf. Suddenly a dozen or so masked shinobi swirled around him, both above and below, their shiny kunais held firmly in their hands. _Bandits_ thought Naruto. He braced himself for the attack and crouched down in anticipation, drawing two kunais of his own from his side pouch.

"Tsk tsk tsk…you poor boy," cooed a hooded female ninja who seemed to be the leader of the group, "whatever made you cry?" Her voice seemed motherly and sincere and a pang of sadness split through his heart once again. The stranger approached Naruto and withdrew her hood. What he saw was one of the fairest ladi…no girl he had ever seen. She seemed to be only a few years older than him but had elegant long, black hair. Shaking his head Naruto narrowed his eyes suspiciously for he sensed a darkness behind the veil of concern.

"Who are you?" he demanded. A few of the dark shinobi around him broke out in deep guffaws.

"Show respect to the Lady you brat!" yelled one, who threw a kunai with amazing speed straight at Naruto's thighs. The blond child swiftly slid out of the way and dodged the weapon, his eyes turning slightly red. Casting glances around him, he subconsciously numbered the shinobi and created an ordered list in his mind, setting the stronger ones besides the lady higher up in the list.

"Who are you?" he demanded for the second time. This time two kunais approached from both sides. He gathered light blue Chakra to his feet, back flipped onto his arms, and caught the two projectiles in his feet. Completing his back flip, he threw with his feet both of the kunais directly at the thrower, impaling the shinobi twice in the chest; however, the speeds of the kunais were not quick enough and were easily caught before they went to deep.

"Dammit…" murmured Naruto. Without another glance he pushed off the tree branch directly at the shinobi who had caught his weapon. Spinning through mid air and building up momentum for a powerful kick, Naruto replicated himself three times, one clone behind his target. The target immobilized, Naruto slammed the dark shinobi's head into the ground twenty feet down. Turning around slowly, he faced the others with defiant eyes.

"Interesting," whispered Karuu to herself. She watched with excitement as the young boy engaged her entire bodyguard. He was no match obviously, but the power that he possessed was greater then even her own.

"Kage Bunshin!" A hundred blond haired boys appeared and rushed into the fray, not proving to be effective but at the same time still landing a few heavy blows on the enemy. Growling, the real Naruto rushed in with his dual kunais and began laying dark shinobi left and right. Although he still didn't have much strength to match the bodyguards, his motions were smooth and calm, systematically inflicting vital slices in all of his opponents, while dodging all of the dangerous jutsus fired his way. Suddenly four pairs of legs slammed into his sides and his back, dropping him to the ground, and four pairs of arms pushed kunais into his flesh and pinned his arms and legs to the ground.

"Arghhhhhhh!" Naruto screamed out in pain and surprise as the foot of a dark shinobi crushed his collarbone.

"You little brat! You'll pay for all the cuts you've done us." His foot edged closer to the blond boy's windpipe.

"Dammit…dammit…dammit…," muttered the boy, "I'm sorry father…I'm sorry Sensei…I can't protect the village anymore." With that he closed his eyes, feeling his warm blood wash over his arms and legs. A few moments passed and as it became harder to breathe and he passed out into nothingness.

End of Flashback

Naruto's head picked up as he heard footsteps approaching his door. Sighing, he stood up and grabbed his cloak from the rack. The room was bare…much of his old items had already been taken or thrown away, but as he suspected no one had ever wanted to live in the house of the demon child, and he had found it empty and abandoned. A knock echoed from the hallway.

"Naruto?" Tsunade's voice cut through the gloom and broke the silence of the shadows, "Naruto I know you're in there. I just want to talk with you that's all, and to thank you." Her warm voice reminded him of Karuu again, but he shook his head and walked quickly down the hall to the door. When he opened it, it took much of his self-control to hide his surprise. Beside Tsunade was Sakura. Both were soaking wet.

"Hurry please get out of the rain." Naruto moved aside to let the two enter, nodding his head in respect as they passed him, "there are chairs in the other room." The two women glanced around the bare walls and the wooden floor in silence. "I'm sorry Hokage-sama. It's not much but…please have a seat." The blond man went to the kitchen and searched for something to offer them, but could not find anything.

"Naruto. It's fine, we didn't come for food," called Sakura. He slowly walked back and sat himself on the ground and leaned against the wall.

"So…umm," said Naruto quietly, "why have you come? If it's to make me leave then don't bother. You can't ma…"

"No its not that," cut in Tsunade, her tone kind and worried, "we are here to thank you for what you have done. You have saved the Elders and many of the village shinobi and for that we are grateful." She looked warmly into his eyes from across the room and smiled. The blond haired man averted his gaze and stared at the ground.

"It was nothing. I promised my Sensei…that I would protect the village that I love." He looked back up sadly at the two women sitting at the table.

"You are a good and honest Naruto," stated Tsunade.

"No…I'm not what I seem." A hidden pain appeared in his eyes and his fists clenched into a tight ball, "I've killed innocent people Hokage-sama. I know I shall never be free from it, and I will never forget the blood on my hands…the blood of a man…no a father bent over the cowering forms of his wife and child. I have nightmares. I KILLED THEM!" Tears streamed out of Naruto's eyes as he slammed his fist into the ground. Both Tsunade and Sakura were too shocked by his sudden pain.

"I spent five years trying to help people…to forget how I killed them," whispered Naruto, regaining his calmness," I learned all that I could...and when I heard war starting around Konoha I could not stay away any longer." Sakura stood up from her seat and sat down next to Naruto. She watched him with a new feeling, now that she had heard of his suffering and pain.

"I'll see you in my office tomorrow morning Naruto," called Tsunade, as she winked at Sakura at let herself out of the apartment. He watched her leave…confused.


	8. Chapter 08

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Hey thanks for everyone's comments again! I didn't know if I should continue or not but its winter break whatever P

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Chapter 08: Sakura

Sadness swept through Sakura as she wrapped her arms around the blond haired man and held him tight, letting his head rest on her shoulder. They sat like that through the night, listening to the uneven patter of raindrops and the occasional rumble of thunder. Not one word was spoken, but an understanding came between them, and then they fell asleep.

Naruto felt his pain slowly fade away and felt Sakura's warmth seep into his soul, her soft skin wrapped about him, and fell into a dreamless state.

A narrow ray of sunlight seeped through a slit in the window and illuminated the sleeping pair. Sakura's eyes crept open and she turned head to watch Naruto. He looked so much like a shining angel but one with much pain wrought within him. She gently got up and went to see what she could find in the kitchen. The house was so bare. She found some supplies from his cabinet and threw together a steaming breakfast. With the trey in her hands she made her way back to the sleeping blond, pausing in the doorway to watch him sleep. She set the food on the table and left a quick note.

"Naruto, Hakage-sama invites you to join the ANBU team. If you want, meet them at the training grounds about the cliff. Naruto please enjoy your breakfast. –Sakura"

She smiled and then let herself out of the house. She felt something inside of her as she walked toward the hospital. Was it love? She blushed at the thought.

Naruto sat in his chair, staring at the note and at the breakfast prepared for him on the table. A deep feeling within him brought tears to his eyes. No one had ever prepared such a meal for him, and he felt arms of Sakura around him, comforting his sorrow. He would thank her today that was for sure. He wiped away a lone tear and dug into the food. It didn't even taste good at all, but with an ardor and passion he stuffed it all down, tasting every morsel of food. It was the best meal he had ever eaten. Remembering that Tsunade wanted him to join the ANBU, he went into his room and got dressed. He donned a long black cloak with a clasp in the shape of a fox and also put on his mask. He recalled the day he had found it. It had once belonged to the hunter-nins of the Hidden Sky but they had given it to him as a parting gift for doing them a favor. Under his cloak he wore light battle armor consisting of a grey battle vest similar to those of the jounin. He left his house and headed for the training grounds, his spirits better than they had been for years.

When he reached the field he was surprised to see Shikamaru, Shino, Sakura and two others he did not recognize. Shikamaru glared at the newcomer's tardiness.

"What a bother," he sighed, scratching his head, "Tsunade said that you would come and Sakura was really…"

Before he could finish she smiled openly and called out, "Good morning Itai." Naruto suddenly understood, Shikamaru probably knew the story of the blond haired boy and Sakura knew that he didn't want to be found out. He chuckled under his mask.

"My apologies ummm…"

"It's Shikamaru. That's shino, anko, and ibiki. (Authors Note: anko and ibiki are the same age as the other shinobi). We're on a reconnaissance mission to the Hidden Rose village and then the Hidden Sound village so don't make trouble for us or I'll have to kill you myself. Now I've already gone over the plans with the others so I'll tell you while we are on the move. Don't die and make me carry you all the way home." The others laughed and Naruto couldn't help but laugh softly. With that, they all soared into the air and sped across the rooftops toward the wall and then the forest. The mission had started.

Naruto and Sakura traveled near the rear. They were all donned in dark hoods and masks but he could tell it was sakura, a few strands of pink hair fell through her covering. He wondered why a non-jounin would accompany an ANBU team but then remembered that Tsunade didn't know he was a versed medical-nin like Sakura.

"Sakura." She looked sideways at the blond, "About last night…thank you."

"It's nothing." It took all her willpower to keep her from hugging him again and telling him her feelings. She was glad that she had a mask on otherwise her cheeks would have been the color of her hair. They traveled like that for the rest of the day, content to be silent but side by side. Naruto had been impressed by Shikamaru's planning. It was definitely better than Sasuke's and was the prodigy of a true ANBU leader. As they neared the Hidden Rose, they planned to walk straight in acting as travelers seeking shelter for the night. They all pulled off their masks but kept their hoods low over their heads. They acted tired and walked toward the large gates of the village, hiding their chakra as well. The Rose-nin were cautious but let the ANBU in after an annoyed Shikamaru claimed they were tired and wanted to rest for the night. They found a cheap hotel and dropped their gear in their rooms and then headed off into the crowded streets. Splitting into pairs, Naruto and Sakura strolled off together in search of a place to sit, eat, and at the same time complete their mission. Shikamaru assigned them to watch the number of shinobi passing in the streets and to also get a rough feeling of the social conditions of the village.

"Naruto," asked Sakura softly, "can I call you oni-san? Itai doesn't fit you and I don't think calling you by your real name is safe." She smiled up at the blond.

"Only if we get to eat Ramen," he responded.

"Ok Oni-san."

A while later they found a Ramen shop and sat in a secluded corner, which had an adequate view of the street. Naruto told her about his travels in the other Hidden village. She watched how his eyes seem to glaze over, filled with both adventure and sadness. The tales he had were amazing, but he never talked much about his own part in the stories, as if he was an outsider watching the events unfold. Then he asked her about the passing of the village and the things he missed in those seven years. It was dusk before long, and when they had gathered enough information, they strolled back to their hotel to meet the others. When they approached the inn, the blond haired shinobi stiffened and grabbed Sakura's arm to stop her. She looked at Naruto questioningly, seeing the intense concentration of his eyes. He hooked his arm into hers and turned them both around and started walking from the building.

"Oni-san," whispered Sakura, "What's wrong?"

"Something happened," he replied without turning his head, "Just keep going. Go back to the Ramen shop and wait for me. I'm going to see what's happening in the inn. If I'm not back by morning return to the Hidden Leaf and notify Tsunade."

"What…but."

"Go." There was an urgency in his voice and she reluctantly turned and went back toward the restaurant. She turned to take one last glance at Naruto but he had disappeared.

Naruto bounded onto the roofs and swiftly sped his way back toward the inn. If his suspicions were correct, they had been discovered and either the others were all captured or they had been chased out of the village to lick their wounds, if they were alive. He silently watched the back of the inn from his perch and sure enough, a group of about six shinobi came out and bounded off into the darkness. He dropped from his hiding spot and climbed through their open window. Their gear had been taken and there were signs of a violent struggle. The tables and chairs were all cracked and overturned and he only hoped that the blood stains covering the ground were not from the wounds of the ANBU team. He hurried out of the inn and sped off back towards the Ramen shop. Even before he got there he heard the sounds of battle.

Shikamaru and Shino were barely holding their own against over ten Rose-nin. Shikamaru held a short two sided kunai while using his shadow jutsu with his other hand, slashing left and right while covering Shino's rear. Shino on the other hand was using dual katanas both conjured from his Chakra bugs. His strokes were both deadly and efficient, but there were just too many Rose-nin. At first there seemed to be ten but more were appearing in the distance. What Naruto saw next almost stopped his heart. Sakura was sprawled between Shino and Shikamaru upon the ground, blood seeping from the edge of her mouth and a kunai jammed through her ribs. Naruto's blood tingled. As he approached the battle, a ocean calm swept through his veins, emptying his soul of emotion. He had transformed.

The Rose-nin fighting did not even have a chance to see him coming. Naruto soared in like whirlwind, his kunai flashing back and forth, appearing as blurs the color of the moon's reflection. Coming to a stop beside Sakura, four of the Rose-nin behind him stopped moving, their necks suddenly bursting with blood. Good. She was still alive. The blond-cloaked Leaf-nin swept around and faced the oncoming tide of Rose hunter-nins. These masked shinobi had fought against S-class criminals before. They would be no pushover. Both Shikamaru and Shino quickly dispatched of the other Rose-nins.

"Shikamaru." The usually annoyed Leaf-nin looked up. "Take Sakura back to the village. I'll hold them off."

Shikamaru eyed the approaching wave of hunter-nins and stared into Naruto's eyes. It had already passed through his mind that with their current wounds and fatigue they would never escape from the Rose village. He was about to volunteer himself to hold their pursuers back but somehow he knew that the mysterious Leaf shinobi was willing to risk his life. Death was inevitable for him. No one survived against more than one hunter-nin at the same time. He grimaced, "I understand. Don't die." With that, he picked up Sakura, slung her over his shoulder, and disappeared into the night with Shino.

Four hunter-nin stood around Naruto with another ten jounins in a circle behind them. "You'll die a painful death Leaf bastard!"

A smile appeared on Naruto's face. _For Sakura_. Even a shinobi of his skill probably could not take out all of the hunter-nin and all the surrounding jounins. Red flames began to seep out of his hands and feet, a Chakra so powerful and deadly that the Rose-nins cringed, fearful of the foreign Chakra. If he was to die this night, he would give this fight his all and instill fear into the enemy. Throwing his cloak off, he surprised the Rose shinobi with his blond hair and his fair face. One of the hunter-nins, a young maiden, gasped as she took in Naruto's beauty.

Naruto's eyes narrowed. "Those who would hurt my village will now die by my hands," he smirked and paused, "who's first?"

Taken aback by the unveiling of the cloaked blond, none of the Rose-nins dared to step forward. Then the leader of the hunter-nins stepped forward and then the rest crouched into battle stances. They quelled their fear in an instant for they were hunter-nins, feared by even some Kages. The leader sneered and suddenly the four rushed forward, completing jutsus while in the air. _Shit four at once._

And so it began.


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

After being really bored, I came back and looked at what I wrote here before and I'm pretty confused at what the story I originally wanted to write was, so I may not ever come back to writing this.

Most likely I'll rewrite some of this stuff into a new story but it may contain many similarities. Hopefully the new one will get finished.


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